Don't give your horse too many sweets.

by Jillian
(B.C.)

I know it feels good to give your horse a big bucket of sweet feed, but it can do them more harm than good. Try and feed your horse for nutrition, not bribery, and when you do give grain, supplements etc. go for the kind without molasses. Oats, complete feeds or beet pulp are all okay for a little snack. Most horses don't need too much, unless you are really working them hard, or competing in events or shows where they are using up lots of extra calories.

If you need to use sweets for hiding medicines fine, but that extra sugar is not needed and harmful for most horses. It leads to weight gain, insulin resistance problems and horses who can be more interested in eating and looking for their grain that working and being with you.

You could also try disguising medicine with salt too...horses love salty stuff.

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